Baron Alco lands BetVictor Gold Cup for Gary and Jamie Moore after incident-packed race at Cheltenham
BARON ALCO gave father-and-son team Gary and Jamie Moore big-race glory in an incident-packed BetVictor Gold Cup.
The winner’s jumping was foot perfect as others blundered away their chance with only six of the 18 runners finishing a race peppered with errors.
The 8-1 shot was always out of trouble up with the pace in the £160,000 Cheltenham thriller.
He held off gallant top weight Frodon by two lengths with another eight back to Guitar Pete and Mister Whitaker.
There are few families more successful in racing than the Moores. Ryan can lay claim to the world’s best Flat jockey and dad Gary has been churning out the winners in both codes for more than 25 years.
In the glow of success the family thoughts still turned to youngest brother Josh who had been down to ride Baron Alco until Jamie switch from non-runner Benatar.
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Gary explained: “I’m gutted for Josh. He would have ridden him had the both of them run but this horse and Jamie are made for each other – they get on well.
“I’ll be quite honest, I wouldn’t have run him - I thought the ground was quick enough.
“The owner tried to make me talk sense. Thank God John knows more about it than me.”
Sussex-based Moore is one of the most respected dual-purpose trainers. His talents were well advertised by Baron Alco, who missed the whole of last season through injury.
He only returned to the track a month ago when narrowly beaten at Chepstow and was clearly cherry-ripe yesterday
Jamie said: “Dad’s a brilliant trainer. I don’t need to tell you that. Flat horses, jumps horses, it doesn’t matter – he can train anything. He’s going to win the National next with Traffic Fluide.”
If that one jumps as well as Baron Alco he would fly around Aintree. Saturday's winner gave a vintage display of fencing.
Jamie added: “He’s a horse I always ride so once Benatar was a non-runner it was always going to happen.
"Josh had a fall yesterday and he’s a bit sore anyway – Josh will be delighted. He’s a massive part of the team.
“It all went pretty smoothly – I was always in my comfort zone. Jumping’s probably won him the race – there was plenty of carnage in behind.”
All the horses returned unscathed but Tom Scudamore and Richard Patrick both went to hospital to be assessed for their injuries after crunching falls. Neither were thought to be serious.
Earlier in the day, Rock The Kasbah was cut to 33-1 by Ladbrokes for the Grand National after he landed the 3m3f BetVictor Handicap Chase.
The 9-1 shot was another winner for in-form pair Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson.
Hobbs said: “His jumping was fantastic. If you keep on asking him at his fences he will keep coming up.
“The main thing we’ve have talked about for some time is the Grand National. What we do before then I really don't know.”
Coneygree got a bigger cheer than the winner. He had endured a wretched run of injuries since winning the 2015 Gold Cup. His third place was his best run for more than 18 months.
Trainer’s wife Sara Bradstock said: “He’s incredible - he makes me cry. He has pins in both hocks and suffered a horrible overreach at Wetherby last year which slit half of his foot.
“You wouldn't want him totally spot on for today but we’re looking at the King George. That was a wonderful place to start.”
Ian Williams was out of luck with Magic Circle in the Melbourne Cup but he proved he’s a man for all seasons with an 11-1 double with First Assignment and Speedo Boy.